Roderick “Rod” Paige, former U.S. Secretary of Education, passed away on December 9. He was 92 years old.
A native of Monticello, Mississippi, and a U.S. Navy veteran, Dr. Paige earned his bachelor’s degree from historically Black Jackson State University. Later in his career, he earned both his master’s degree and Ph.D. in physical education from Indiana University.
Dr. Paige began his career as a teacher and football coach. From 1971 to 1975. Dr. Paige served as head football coach for Texas Southern University. He spent the next five years as the HBCU’s athletic director, before transitioning to serve as a faculty member from 1980 to 1984 and as dean of the College of Education from 1984 to 1994. Next, he served as superintendent of the Houston Independent School District.
In 2001, President George W. Bush appointed Dr. Paige as the seventh U.S. Secretary of Education, making him the first African American to serve in that capacity. In this role, he led the implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act.
Over a decade after his federal appointment, Dr. Paige served as interim president of Jackson State University during the 2016-2017 academic year.
